Hofstra Drama 20 – Sound for the Theatre

Date: 4/11 at 4:00 pm

Location: a bench on the path between Breslin and LHComm

Far Sounds: wind blowing through the trees, cars on the Hempstead Turnpike, distant chatter of students.

Medium Sounds: doors opening and closing, cars driving by in the parking lot, keychain clinking, fabric rustling.

Close Sounds: footsteps of someone walking by, breathing in and out, leaves rustling in the tree behind me.

Sound Description/Level: There are not very many loud or startling sounds; it is a very calm and soothing atmosphere in this sort of alleyway between buildings. The breeze is the only constant sound, and even that is minimalistic and not very overwhelming. It’s a nice escape from the loud hustle and bustle of campus.

One Word: peaceful

Most Important Sounds: wind in the trees, cars on the turnpike, footsteps walking by.

April 12th, 5:34pm, Hofstra Pride Park.  

Furthest: Distant cars on Hempstead Turnpike, tree branches/leaves swaying in the wind. 

Medium: Birds chirping/singing, car doors slamming, car motor very loudly speeding down the road, people holding conversations. 

Closest: Me breathing, moving my feet in the grass. 

Sound level is extremely varied, ranging from distant and peaceful sounds of bird calls to very loud, souped up cars. Amount of sound activity is at a medium range. It’s not too quiet but not too loud all the time which cuts it down to a “medium”. 

One Word Description: Animated.

Essential Sounds: 

1. Birds chirping 
2. Cars moving 
3. People talking

April 2nd, 9:00pm – Back Room of Hof U.S.A.

Farthest Away: Squeaking of the Milkshake Machine

Medium Range: The beeping of the beepers a couple tables away.

Closest: People talking tables away from. People laughing. Maya blowing her nose.

Sound Level: Mostly a medium level of constant. Occasionally when there is more background noise, people’s conversations would get louder, so the sound level would be higher.

Sound Activity: Inconsistent. Conversations go in and out as well as the machines the workers were using. Also, Maya wasn’t blowing her nose for two minutes straight.

Description: Social

Essential Sounds:

• People’s Conversations
• People Laughing
• Maya Blowing her Nose

1- DATE-TIME-LOCATION of the sound environment

April 2nd, 12:24pm, Hofstra’s Student Center. 

2- Identify and list the sounds farthest away from you.

Furthest: Footsteps, talking between people, kitchen materials clanging from inside the food hub, beeps from the register, plastic utensils flying out of the dispensary. 

3- Identify and list the sounds at a medium range from you.

Medium: Closer conversations droning in and out, Starbucks orders being called out, people swiping cards, footsteps walking next to my table. 

4- Identify and list the sounds closest to you (You can include internal sounds if noticed or relevant).

Closest: Friends at my table talking, plastic utensils hitting plastic dishes, chewing, laughing, chairs scraping against the tile floor. 

5- Describe the general sound level and amount of sound activity.

Sound level is generally very loud with a few moments where the volume lulls. There is large amount of sound activity as people are bustling in and out of the building, making food orders and being social amongst themselves. 

6- Assign a one word description to the “sound environment”.

One Word Description: Bustling. 

7- Essential Sounds: 

1. Multiple conversations happening at the same time
2. Chairs scraping on tile floor 
3. Footsteps

Bill of Rights Kitchen – 4/1/23 – 10:48pm

Far sounds: People Talking, Rain, Heater hum

Medium Sounds: Stove Fan, door opening/closing

Close sounds: Water running, scrubbing on dishes(with scrub daddy), paper towel dispenser, shoes brushing on tile floor, dishes clinking metal sing

Sounds level: Medium

One Word: Clean

Most Important: Water running, sponge scrubbing, stove fan

Date: 3/29/23

Location: Hauser Hall room 109, Psychopathology course

Far sounds: Typing of people at front of room, central heating/air blowing, people sniffling

Medium sounds: Professor lecturing, professor’s shoes on the linoleum, questions and voices from classmates

Close sounds: My own typing, my chair creaking

Sound description/level: Quiet, focused sound, revolving around the sound of the lecture currently being given by the professor. She is speaking loudly and clearly but the rest of the class and classroom is understandably silent.

One word: Focused

Most important sounds: Typing, professor lecturing, air from the vent blowing

1. 3/31/23 in Tilburg House in C Square

2. Farthest Away: The oven clicking as it heats up, people talking a few tables away, people walking around

3. Medium Range: The sound of air coming through the hood above the stove, a clock ticking

3. Closest: My friend preparing to make cookies, a plastic bowl falling on the floor, my friend laughing and talking to me

4. Sound Level: Soft

5. Sound Activity: Pretty calm and infrequent

6. One Word: Relaxing

7. Essential Sounds: The sound of air in the hood above the stove, my friend talking, and the people talking a few tables away

1. 03/31/2023 – 4:06 PM – the Back area where I work
2. Far away: the store music playing
3. Medium: the manager typing, someone using a hammer
4. Closest: a chair moving around, a toilet flushed, someone shuffling through boxes
5. The sound level is low.
6. Descriptor: Preparing
7. Essential sounds: the shuffling of boxes and the store music playing

1. Friday March 31st @3:25PM: inside the ceramic studio office
2. I can hear the faint sounds of voices from the class happening in the ceramic studio and the sliding of the metal stools across the cement floor.
3. The sinks running and the hum of the kiln room fan
4. Closest to me I can hear footsteps as people walk by the office doors as well as the sound of the door opening and closing.
5. There is a fair amount of activity but it is still relatively quiet – just a lot of ambient noise interspersed with voices
6. Liminal
7. The hum of the fan is essential, as are the distant voices and metal stools. I think what’s key in creating the environment is way in which they overlap and give the sense that there is something happening in the other room but not here. Like when you fall asleep on the couch next to a room full of people.

Date: March 30th

Location: Monroe Hall theater, Indian music concert for a class

Far Sounds: people whispering around the auditorium, people outside auditorium talking

Medium Sounds: professor talking, band playing on stage, tampura drone

Closest Sounds: my friends whispering next to me, water bottle crinkle

Sound description/level: sound wasn’t too loud or abrasive, the nature of this music is to relax you

essential sounds: tampura drone, flute , drums

one word: tranquil